A bank holiday is a national public holiday in the United Kingdom and the Crown Dependencies, and in the Republic of Ireland. In the United Kingdom, the term refers to all public holidays, be they set out in statute, declared by royal proclamation, or held by convention under common law.[1][2]

The term "bank holiday" refers to the fact that banking institutions typically close for business on such holidays, as they once used to do on certain saint's days.[3]

List of current holidays

Current bank and public holidays
DateNameEngland and
Wales[4] (8)
Scotland[4] (9)Northern
Ireland[5](10)
Republic of
Ireland[6] (10)
Isle of Man[7]
(10)
Jersey and
Guernsey (9)
1 JanuaryNew Year's DayGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tick
2 January[note 1]2 JanuaryGreen tick
First Monday in February, or 1 February if the date falls on a FridayImbolc / Saint Brigid's DayGreen tick
17 March[note 1]Saint Patrick's DayGreen tickGreen tick
The Friday before Easter SundayGood FridayGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tick
The Monday after Easter SundayEaster MondayGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tick
First Monday in May[note 2][note 3]Early May bank holidayGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tick
9 MayLiberation DayGreen tick
Last Monday in May[note 4]Spring Bank Holiday / Late May Bank HolidayGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tick
First Monday in JuneJune Bank HolidayGreen tick
First Friday in JuneSenior Race DayGreen tick
5 July[note 1]Tynwald DayGreen tick
12 July[note 1]The Twelfth (Battle of the Boyne)Green tick
First Monday in AugustSummer Bank HolidayGreen tickGreen tick
Last Monday in AugustAugust Bank HolidayGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tick
Last Monday in OctoberOctober Bank HolidayGreen tick
30 November[note 1]St Andrew's DayGreen tick
25 December[note 1]Christmas DayGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tick
26 December[note 1]Boxing Day / St Stephen's DayGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tick

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 When the stated date falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the following Monday is normally designated a bank holiday instead. When Christmas Day and New Year's Day fall on a Saturday (and thus 26 December and 2 January on a Sunday), the following Tuesday 28 December (and Tuesday 4 January in Scotland) are also bank holidays.
  2. In 1995 this holiday was moved to Monday 8 May and in 2020 to Friday 8 May – to commemorate the 50th and 75th anniversary of VE Day.
  3. In 2011 an additional public holiday was declared to ensure that most people would have a chance to celebrate the Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, making a four-day weekend as May Day was on the following Monday.[8]
  4. In 2002, 2012, and 2022 this holiday was moved to early June to mark Queen Elizabeth II's Golden, Diamond, and Platinum Jubilees. All three were paired with a second extra holiday to create a four-day weekend.

See also

References

  1. Pyper, Doug (18 December 2015). "Briefing paper - Bank and public holidays" (PDF). House of Commons Library.
  2. "UK bank holidays – GOV.UK". gov.uk. 17 March 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  3. "bank holiday | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  4. 1 2 Bank holidays and British Summer Time, Directgov, 8 February 2012, retrieved 15 April 2012
  5. Bank holidays, NIDirect, 6 April 2012, retrieved 15 April 2012
  6. Public holidays, Citizens Information Board, 20 January 2020
  7. "Bank Holidays". Government of the Isle of Man. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  8. "Royal Wedding: Prince William and Kate set date". BBC. 23 November 2010. Archived from the original on 24 November 2010. Retrieved 23 November 2010.
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